page 64 — September 1940

Thursday 5^th

… We went to Francis house at about six. Francis was on duty as a special constable [these were civilian volunteers recruited to stand in for or supplement regular police]. … zhk zfr

Saturday 7^th 

… I took Bassadone up past the Rising [a spring in the woods] and then on to where we could see the sea from. Tinker dug unsuccessfully for badgers. I caught him trying to run away twice.  zhy zrg zss zpt

In the evening we went for a walk on the Downs. We could hear German planes overhead, and on the way back saw a large red glow to the north east.    ? zwk zar zfl

Sunday 8^th

News—big attack on London, dock on fire which I suppose was what we saw last night. Daddy decided that he had better go back [to Guys] to see the casualties, so both he and Harry [Martin’s friend who had been staying] went off in the afternoon; I saw them off with Mommy and Martin. zar zmw zfl

[See note (a)]

Monday 9^th 

We caught the 10.30 train, leaving Martin to catch the 10.35 to Swanage. … We … got into another train, but the siren went and we had to wait in the station for 1¼ hours until the all clear went. We left most of my luggage at Paddington and then went on to the Marshalls’ … we spent the night in the Marshalls’ dugout.[Probably an ‘Anderson shelter’.] ztv zfl zar

[See note (b)]